BNP Chairperson's adviser and former MP Harunur Rashid said that BNP is committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people if it becomes the elected government.

He said these things at a youth rally demanding the immediate announcement of the road map for the national elections organized by the Trinamool Nagarik Andolon in front of the National Press Club on Tuesday (January 14).

Harunur Rashid said that many people say that BNP will not be able to come to power if there is an election. If BNP does not come to power, then who will? BNP has been fighting to establish democracy in Bangladesh for the last 40 years. Whenever the people of this country got the opportunity, they voted for the BNP to come to power. If the people of the country get the opportunity to vote again, they will bring the BNP to power.

He said that the only demand of the July-August movement was the fall of Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina has fallen. The interim government is running the country. We are supporting them in various ways. But now we can see that various conspiracies are spreading their wings. No specific date is being given by the advisors regarding the national elections.

He also said, we want to establish democracy in the country. We want to take the country forward. The nation must remain united against all conspiracies against the country. Those who killed the student population, those who looted from Bangladesh, are being tried. The government that comes in the future will also try them. Therefore, there is no opportunity to delay the elections with this trial process.

Under the chairmanship of Trinamool Nagorik Andolan President Mofizur Rahman Liton and under the direction of Krishak Dal's Small and Cottage Industries Affairs Secretary Abdullah Al Naeem, BNP's Children's Affairs Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Siddiqui was present as a special guest. BNP National Executive Committee Member Abu Naser Md. Rahmatullah, Krishak Dal's Vice President Alhaj VP Ibrahim, Tanti Dal's Dr. Kazi Moniruzzaman Monir, Ismail Hossain Siraji of the Motsyijibi Party, Firoz Alam Patwary of Paltan Thana BNP, among others. 

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that elections are possible by mid-year. At the same time, he called on the government, Election Commission and political parties to hold elections.

He said these things at a press conference called at the BNP Chairperson's office in Gulshan on Tuesday (January 14) to inform about the decision of the standing committee a day earlier.

Also present at the event was the party's standing committee member Abdul Moin Khan.

The BNP Secretary General said that elections are possible by mid-year. This is why I am calling on the Election Commission, the government and political parties to hold elections by mid-year.

Noting that the draft of the Cyber Security Ordinance has been discussed, Mirza Fakhrul will hold another press conference in the next two days to discuss it in detail. For this, a committee has been formed under the leadership of Standing Committee member Dr. Moin Khan.

The BNP Secretary General said that the statement of the Chief Adviser on the election issue was discussed for a long time. We think there is no reason to delay it so much. The Election Commission has already been formed, stability is coming to the country and the report of the reform committee will be out by this month. Democracy is the most important thing in a country.

In response to a question about local elections before the national elections, the BNP Secretary General said, our position is clear on this matter. We have again announced this decision. We are saying that there is no question of local elections before the national elections because, now the focus of the entire nation, the entire country is on the elections of the national government. The last three elections could not be held. People want to pave the way for the transition to democracy through elections.

He said, sometimes I myself am surprised, where does the idea of holding elections other than the national elections come from at such a critical moment? Where does the idea of postponing the elections come from? If you want to put the country on a railway track.... There is an ongoing process of reforms. We were the first to draw the outline of reforms.

In response to a question about the 24 declarations, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, we have received a draft of a July declaration from Adviser Mahfuz Alam. He requested us to give our opinion on this matter. It is not possible to do such a sensitive and important matter on a one-day notice. We have discussed this matter, are discussing it further, we have to discuss it with other parties that we have. Not only that, we have to discuss it with the constitutional experts who are there.

Asked whether the BNP like-minded political parties in the country also agree with BNP, he said, the like-minded parties that have been agitating, the right party, the left party, all agree with us that everyone agrees that elections need to be held quickly. There is no disagreement between us on this matter. The Communist Party has already given a statement. I do not see that there is much difference with Jamaat-e-Islami either. It has said a few days ago that elections need to be held quickly, that a national government needs to be elected first. 

Amidst the multi-faceted discussion on the report of the US intelligence agency Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has expressed his position and claimed that the report is 'wrong and misleading'.

On Monday (January 13) night, Joy wrote in a post on his verified Facebook page, 'Recently, an FBI report was leaked against him. However, due to their carelessness and stupidity, the false evidence of the report has become clear. There are also some serious mistakes in the report.'

The FBI investigation revealed that Hasina and Joy laundered 30 crore dollars (about Tk. 3,600 crore) to the US and the UK. The intelligence agency claimed that they uncovered significant irregularities in Joy's financial activities. Based on the FBI's investigation, the Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission began an investigation into the allegations of laundered 30 crore dollars to the US and the UK against Hasina and Joy on December 22, 2024.

The FBI has found Joy's involvement with 8 luxury cars and five companies. However, Joy claims that these cars are very old and most of them have been sold long ago. The FBI report was submitted to the Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice's Criminal Division on April 23, 2023. The ACC has received a copy of the FBI report, the officials concerned said.

The FBI report also named two of Joy's associates, who were their confidential informants. They are US Metropolitan Awami League President Siddiqur Rahman and Senior Joint Secretary Nizam Chowdhury. The FBI report said that the US intelligence agency found Sajeeb's bank accounts in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands. It was learned about the suspicious money transfer to Washington DC, New York and London through a local money exchange company.

It also said that Special Agent La Private was contacted by Linda Samuels, Senior Trial Attorney of the US Department of Justice. He sought Washington Field's help in a case involving the theft of 30 crore dollars from Bangladesh and its laundering into a bank account in the United States.

However, in a Facebook post, Sajeeb Wazed Joy claimed that the FBI agent mentioned in the report had retired from the agency many years ago. The Justice Department lawyer mentioned died in 2013. Joy shared a link to the news of his death.

The FBI report, mentioning that Sheikh Hasina and Sajeeb Wazed had laundered money in the United States and the Cayman Islands, said that the Justice Department's Asset Forfeiture or Money Laundering Division sought Washington Field's help to find, restrain, and seize these funds. Our investigation also found suspicious activity in the name of Wazed Consulting Inc. Wazed Consultant was engaged in numerous businesses with the Bangladesh government and was involved in the Bangabandhu-1 satellite project. However, Joy claims that he does not have any offshore bank accounts. He challenged the entire matter and asked to prove these allegations.

Although the investigation found suspicious banking activity involving his wife Christine and Sajeeb Wazed in Massachusetts and Virginia, Joy wrote in his Facebook post, "Christine and I are no longer married. We separated about three years ago and are divorced."

Dhaka: BNP's position on the national election issue is becoming stronger and clearer this time. Although it has previously demanded to hold elections as soon as possible, this time BNP is clearly demanding national elections by mid-year.

The party believes that the discussion on local government elections is aimed at delaying the national election. The interim government should set aside the thought of local government elections and make arrangements for national elections according to the people's wishes. Leaders expressed this opinion at the party's standing committee meeting held on Monday night.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joined the meeting virtually from London and presided over the meeting. The meeting discussed the medical and physical condition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is in the UK. The leaders expressed gratitude for her continuous improvement in health.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called a press conference after the standing committee meeting. A press conference will be held at the BNP Chairperson's political office in Gulshan on Tuesday afternoon. It will highlight statements on all issues including the elections.

Sources said that BNP will take the demand for elections to the people by the middle of this year through meetings and seminars. The meeting expressed anger over the government's increase in VAT and taxes. The leaders said that if the elected government was in power, it would not have increased the suffering of the people in any way. VAT and taxes should not have been increased in this way on products necessary for people's daily lives.